What causes ricordea to shrink?
- Thread starter Nanook
- Start date
philosophile
New member
Lack of adequate light/food would make something shrink slowly over a long period of time.
I would love to tag along here as mine are doing the same thing, I was told to the light was to strong for them so I have it quite low now and no difference at all. I am wondering if the type of lighting is the issue?
I am using LED lights, ready to drag out my power compact very soon to see if that makes a difference at all.
My tank is a pico I have kept rics before but never under LED lights.
I am using LED lights, ready to drag out my power compact very soon to see if that makes a difference at all.
My tank is a pico I have kept rics before but never under LED lights.
el_pinguino
New member
One of my R. floridas is doing the shrink-and-fade. When I noticed that this was starting I began to spot feed it regularly to offset the loss of zooxanthellae. But now it is refusing food.
My many other Rics are thriving so water quality and lighting is probably not the issue.
My many other Rics are thriving so water quality and lighting is probably not the issue.
Last edited:
Reeferz412
Coral Hoarder
They are sensitive to the amount of direct flow they get. I have mine on the floor due to the intensity of my LEDs, same with my shrooms.
el_pinguino
New member
I suspected some type of virus or bacteria. I tried "ReVive" but don't know how well it works as an antiseptic.
Gonna try a Lugol's dip next.
Gonna try a Lugol's dip next.
el_pinguino
New member
I have mine at the bottom enclosed in a perforated plastic bottle top, which allowed me to spot feed it.
johnpasternak
New member
Mine hides when lights are off as well
Did you check your water levels
Did you check your water levels
justthewife
New member
I would love to know how many people have had ricordea for years and years. I have a few that are a year old and thriving and I have a few that are a year old and are shrinking. I have just had one appear to die to almost nothing so we cut it off the rock and now it is coming back.
QuackAttack
New member
I just moved a couple from a lower light tank to directly under a kessil A150 and a kessil A350. Very bright lighting and I've never seen them so large, plump and full of color.
lostintheocean
New member
I had one floating around my tank for a few weeks. When it finally popped out somewhere I could reach it, it was at least 5 times smaller. In my case it was most likely lack of light since it was lost in the rock work for a while. It is now attached and growing in size.
InOrderToBeAble
New member
If they are shrinking, they are dying.
Isladelmar
New member
Nitrates to high or it could be not enough food my grow like crazy spot feeding dry coral food
el_pinguino
New member
The ailment is slowly spreading to my other rics. One by one they are all dying. This happens slowly with maybe 2-3 weeks between shrink/bleach events.
It started with my yellow one, then my second yellow one, then my purple one, now my green one. That's 4 out of my 7 rics now.
No other issues in the tank and other corals are doing fine.
It started with my yellow one, then my second yellow one, then my purple one, now my green one. That's 4 out of my 7 rics now.
No other issues in the tank and other corals are doing fine.
Hey you are not the only one with Ric issues. My first 3 I bought I have one left just hanging on, they have color but seem to be shrinking. I try and spot feed but not reaction from them at all. I think there is sometimes bad Rics that one gets and other times good ones. Yumas I cannot keep at all so I don't even try but I prefer the Florida Rics anyways.
My 3 newer ones, (green, purple, orange) Now I will say I have found the strongest colors of the RIcs to be the Green and Purple ones even in the past I have always had luck with this color to an extent.
The other day I was feeding my Mini Max Anemone and just placed one small Mysis shrimp on each of these 3 rics to see if there would be any reaction from them and the green one was eating the Mysis so neat to watch the others did not.
I also have my Rics on the sand bed, the purple one is on a small piece of rock on the sand but they seem happy on the bottom, the flow is very gentle they do not like strong flow like others have mentions, maybe try to move the ones you have to a side of the tank where the flow is very slow.
Try feeding them small piece of Mysis or other food but very little to see if they will fold up around it. I don't know what else to offer as I have not had the best of luck myself this go around. I really wanted a nice Ric Garden with just all Florida Rics but that is not looking to promising at this point, but I can say the Mini Max Anemone is one cool coral and the colors you can get are unreal. They are fun to feed as well.
My 3 newer ones, (green, purple, orange) Now I will say I have found the strongest colors of the RIcs to be the Green and Purple ones even in the past I have always had luck with this color to an extent.
The other day I was feeding my Mini Max Anemone and just placed one small Mysis shrimp on each of these 3 rics to see if there would be any reaction from them and the green one was eating the Mysis so neat to watch the others did not.
I also have my Rics on the sand bed, the purple one is on a small piece of rock on the sand but they seem happy on the bottom, the flow is very gentle they do not like strong flow like others have mentions, maybe try to move the ones you have to a side of the tank where the flow is very slow.
Try feeding them small piece of Mysis or other food but very little to see if they will fold up around it. I don't know what else to offer as I have not had the best of luck myself this go around. I really wanted a nice Ric Garden with just all Florida Rics but that is not looking to promising at this point, but I can say the Mini Max Anemone is one cool coral and the colors you can get are unreal. They are fun to feed as well.
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